Pneumatic piano-player.



PATEETED JULY 7. 1908.

C E: PR-YOR, PNEUMATIC PIANO PLAYER. 1

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 16, 1907.

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lNVE/VTUH CLARENCE E. Pawn. BY 9 V/ MA WITNESSES 6%? .N0J892,88'7.IPATENTED JULY 7, 1908.

0. E; PRYOR.

PNEUMATIC PIANO PLAYER. "AP'RLIOATION FILED NOV. 15, 1907..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/T/VESSES INVENTUH CLARENCE IILP Y ATTO R N E Y5 3 I operatingmechanism including the wippen UNITED s rains- PAENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE ELWOOD PRYOR, OF BINGHAMTON. NEW YORK PNEUMATIC PIANo-rLAYEn.

'Application filed November 15, 1907.

To-aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE E. PRYOR, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of NewYork, have invented an Improved Pneumatic PianoPlayer, of which thefollowing is a'specifi'cation. I

-My invention is an improved supplemental adjustable abstract attachedto the lifting rod interposed between the piano playing keys and thewippen or rocking ever forming part of the hammer-actuating mechanism.

The construction and arrangement of parts embodying my invention are ashereinafter described and shown in accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a vertical section of a piano player action provided with myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a partly sectional side view showing myinvention. applied to the abstract. Fig. 3 is a face view of the partsshown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a pneumatic playeraction showing the local relation ofmy improved abstract regulatingattachment to the pneumatics.

In Figs. i.and.4, A indicates one of the keys of a piano, A a pneumaticlever, and B a string on which the hammer C is arranged to strike. Theseparts and the hammer D and vertical rod E interposed between thesaidwippen and lever A, are constructed and arranged in awell knownmanner The rod or so-called abstract E, 18 also con-.

nected with the frame of the action of the piano by means of a pivotedlink F and rests on a screw G attached to the piano key A, as usual inthis class of instruments. Hitherto, the pneumatics in this class ofpiano actions have been so arranged relatively to the abstracts'orlifting rods that operatively connect the keys and hammer mechanism,that access to the abstracts could not be had without first removing the'ineumatics. ln. other words, in the usual arrangement, the

three rows of pneumatics commonly employed extend the whole length ofthe piano, and when once in. place, nothing behind them can be reachedfor adjustment, repair, or other purpose; hence, it is necessary toremove the pneumatics bodily, which is very objectionable for obviousreasons. More frequent adjustment of the playeraction is required thanof the manual action, because it is used and wears more, and it isalsosubject Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1908.

Serial no. 402,284.

I to expansion and contraction. I have devised and successfully employedan attachment of the abstract which is easily accessible and may bequickly adjusted as occasionrequires, and without removing, displacing,or disturbing the pneumatics proper. To this end, I provide a bar E seeFig. 2, 3 and 4:: which is secured adjustably tothefront side of eachabstract, or lifting rod, E, and extends nearly the whole length of thesame, or

'as near to the wippen D and screw Gas practicable. It is provided withtwo lengthwise slots 6' and c and held on the abstract by two screws 0and c which pass through the respective lower and upper slots as shown.The lower screw e is merely a guide on which the bar E slides whenadjusted up or down, and the upper screw 6 is used as a clamp forholding the part E at any point to which it maybe adjusted. Hence, thebar E is loose and slidable on the lower or guide screw c and is clampedtightly by the upper screw 0".

It will be seen that the prolongation of the attachment E and thelocation of the upper or clamping screw 0 with reference to thepneumatics H are such that said screw is accessible above and over thepneumatics, so' that a long screw-driver or other suitabletool 1' may beused for adjusting the screw as indicated by dotted lines Fig. 4. Hencethe required adjustment of the bar E may be easily and quickly effectedwithout shifting or removing the pneifmatics, thus effecting animportant economy in time, labor and expense. It is also obvious thatsaid adjustment can be made by any person without previous experience.

Vlhat I claim is.

1 In a pneumatic piano player action, the

combination withfinger keys, a lever A, pneumatics proper arranged abovethe finger keys, and hammer-actuating mechanism including an abstract orlifting-rod located behind the pneumatics, of a supplemental adjustableabstract attached to saidabstract and consisting ofa vertically slidablebar extending nearly the entire length .of the, abstract and above theneumatics, and having two lengthwise slots, spaced apart, a guideprojecting into the lower slot, anda clampscrew passing through theupper slot, and lo- ,cated above the pncumatics, whereby it isaccessiblefor mani ulation'in the manner shown and describe( 2. Theimproved'pneumatic piano player ,3 seesaw action, comprising pneumaticsproper, finger ed on the abstract and halving a clamping dea hammer-oerating mechanism including an pneumatics as shown and desr 'ibed.abstract 01' 1ft1ng-r0d supported on the finl ke s alever connected W1ththe neumatics vice which is accessible over and above the I r i l l l lger keys, and a supplemental adjustable ab- CLARENCE Emil/00D PRYOstract attached to said abstract, Whose lower 1 Witnesses: end 1s incontact With the sald lever, and pro- LAVERNE M. TWINING vided with aguide, and its upper end extend- C. LACEY ADKINS.

